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Destination management and business effectiveness (DMBE) is a critical concern in today's volatile and unstable economic environment. The expansion of globalization and integration of markets, the current economic crisis, and the enforcement of regional and/or local administration in the European Union brings to the forefront the need for DMBE. The core business mission of small and middle-size (SMEs) corporations is being competitive and sustainable in an active market. However, in the past, only some dimensions of entrepreneurship and management and business effectiveness in tourism rural areas have been used to measure the DMBE. This study proposes a DMBE model that is based on the theoretical dimensions identified from previous studies and builds on the work of Wilson, Fesenmaier, Fesenmaier, and Van Es (2001) on successful factors for rural development. Utilizing data collected from 174 Greek rural tourism enterprises, the proposed DMBE model is tested. Findings identify two subdimensions, namely “local leadership and government synergetic support” and “capable and skilful staff.” Managerial implications of these two dimensions for rural tourism SMEs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many researchers have examined the service quality of healthcare organisations, but none of them examined the effects of a transfer to new premises on service quality. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of new facilities on patients' perception of the quality of services in the General Hospital of Katerini in Greece. To do so, we compare three different researches about service quality and used the gap analysis method and paired – samplest-test to define if perceptions and expectations of service quality among the quality dimensions were significant (p < .05). The transfer to new premises and new medical equipment have substantially improved the five dimensions but not to the extent that they could be considered a complete service improvement. The results confirmed all of our five research hypotheses. The transfer to new premises most affects the ‘tangibles’ dimension. At the same time, the remaining four dimensions of service quality were, on the whole, positively influenced. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study examined the perceptions of small- and middle-size hotel entrepreneurs of the benefits and constraints of sustainability and business development. Results indicated that the hotel owners' interest in sustainable tourism development is related to how it can enable them to achieve environmental and social benefits for their enterprises. The basic reasons which inhibit them from adopting sustainable development practices are the high cost of investment and the uncertain payment of this cost. The major academic contribution of this study is the application of a model that integrates microperspectives to explore constraints and benefits related to sustainable development in the context of the hotel industry in Greece. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]